The present invention relates to a power cable assembly, and particularly to a power cable assembly meeting SSI (Server System Infrastructure) standard requirements and which is easy to assemble.
Applicant""s copending application Ser. No. 09/196,859, which has been allowed, discloses a power cable assembly comprising an insulative housing, a plurality of power terminals received in the housing, and a cable having a plurality of conductive wires terminated to corresponding power terminals. An insulative cover for enclosing the conductive wires is further over-molded around the housing. However, over-molding an insulative cover over a housing is not suitable for mass production. Hence, an improved power cable assembly is required to simplify manufacture and reduce cost.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a power cable assembly that is easy to manufacture and assemble, thereby reducing cost.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a power cable assembly having a pair of separate shells for improved shielding of the connector.
A power cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals, a cable including a plurality of wires, each of which is terminated to a corresponding terminal, an EMI (Electrical Magnetic Interference) shield at a front end of the cable, a pre-molded rear cover, and an interlocking means separately formed on the housing, the EMI shield and the rear cover for interlocking the housing, the EMI shield and the rear cover together.
The housing comprises a block and a plurality of silos formed on a front face of the block. A passageway is defined through each silo which extends through the block. The terminals with the wires are securely received in the passageways of the silos of the housing. The pre-molded rear cover defines a cavity in a front face thereof for receiving the cable therein.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, the EMI shield is an integral shell. A ferrule at a rear end of the EMI shell fixedly clamps the cable.
The interlocking means comprises a rabbet groove at a rear end of the block of the housing, a front portion of the EMI shell, a pair of recesses defined in upper and lower faces of the block of the housing, and a pair of ribs being respectively formed on upper and lower inner faces of the cavity. The front portion of the EMI shell fittedly engages with the rabbet groove of the housing, and the ribs of the rear cover are correspondingly received in the recesses of the housing thereby securely assembling the housing, the EMI shell and the pre-molded rear cover together.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the EMI shield comprises a front shell and a rear shell. The front shell comprises a flange formed at a front end thereof and an opening defined at a rear end thereof. The rear shell comprises a flange formed at a front end thereof and a ferrule at a rear end thereof. The rear shell passes through the front shell from the front to the rear of the front shell until the flange of the rear shell seats against a front face of a flange at the rear of the front shell, said flange defining a perimeter of the opening of the front shell. The ferrule of the rear shell fixedly clamps the cable. The interlocking means comprises two pairs of first ribs separately formed on four outer faces of the block of the housing, two pairs of tongues punched from four side walls of the front shell, two pairs of recesses defined by the tongues as the tongues extend away from the four side walls of the front shell, and two pairs of second ribs being respectively formed on four inner faces of the cavity of the rear cover. The block of the housing slides into the front shell with the first ribs thereof abut against the tongues of the front shell thereby securing the housing to the front shell of the EMI shield. The second ribs of the rear cover are correspondingly received in the recesses of the front shell and a front face of the rear cover abuts against the flange of the front shell thereby securely assembling the rear cover, the front shell and the housing together.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.